ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - Harold J. Nicholson, the
highest-ranking CIA officer ever convicted of espionage, got a
shot at avoiding life in prison by admitting guilt Monday and
promising to tell the government exactly what top secrets he sold
the Russians for $180,000.

''I plead guilty, your honor,'' the bearded,
46-year-old former CIA station chief softly told U.S. District
Judge James Cacheris during a 14-minute court hearing. He spoke
only to answer Cacheris' questions, mostly with a ''yes'' or
''no.''

Nicholson could receive up to life in prison
and a $250,000 fine. He agreed to forfeit his spy gains and any
future profit from sale of his story for books or movies.

But his agreement to provide ''a full and
candid debriefing'' for the CIA could win him a shorter sentence
than life - perhaps close to 20 years in prison with time off for
good behavior. Cacheris will impose a sentence June 5.

The deal saves the government the cost of a
trial. The government also learns what secrets he actually turned
over and avoids disclosing to the world at a trial the secrets
and top secrets he was carrying when he was arrested at Dulles
International Airport last Nov. 16 en route to a meeting with
Russian agents in Switzerland.

Nicholson admitted to a single charge that he
conspired since June 1994 to commit espionage by selling Moscow
national defense documents, including some classified ''top
secret.'' Two other counts - of espionage and attempted espionage
- were dropped, but the actions alleged in those counts also were
contained in the conspiracy count to which he admitted.